The more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. That is a powerful statement supported by more than a decade of research by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. It sounds simple enough. Make time each day to eat dinner with your children. As families with growing school agers soon find out, activities and other demands on time make sitting around the dining room table together a bit difficult.

Today I want to share information about a couple of educational programs I will be hosting during the month ahead. As more folks are nearing the magical age of 65 I find that questions related to Medicare are directed my way. We had a great response to a Medicare Basics program last month and I have a similar program set for Wednesday, Sept. 30, at noon at the Great Bend Activity Center, 2715 18th Street. Jamie Rathbun, who is the Family & Consumer Science Agent in the Midway Extension District, will share information for those who will be applying for Medicare ...

President Obama, with the support of the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation to include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, announced today the start of a new initiative to give every child in the United States the chance to explore and learn about America's great outdoors. The Every Kid in a Park initiative will provide all fourth grade students and their families with free admission for a full year to more than 2,000 federally-managed sites nationwide.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, improved bacon could soon be on its way. Bacon is one of the most popular cuts of pork, and finding a way to deliver restaurants and consumers an even better product is the focus of research at Kansas State University.

It is "Food Safety Awareness Month" and so I want to remind you of the most important way to prevent foodborne illness; WASH YOUR HANDS. At all stages of food preparation and clean-up it is important to keep those hands clean. Next week I will be making my annual visit to Helping Hands pre-school to share the importance of proper hand washing with over 100 three and four year olds. I have access to a Glo-Germ, complete with a black light. After tossing a ball around that has the "magic potion" on it we should be able to see exactly ...

First it's the racket of 17-year cicadas. Now Kansans in some areas may be facing an influx of chirping crickets, aided by this year's moisture that favors the insect's survival and development, according to a Kansas State University specialist.

Kansas' agricultural trademark program, From the Land of Kansas, invites tailgaters to participate in the second annual From the Land of Kansas Tailgate Contest. The contest, presented by Manhattan Hy-Vee, will be held September 5, 2015 prior to the Kansas State University vs. South Dakota football game.

While much of the programming I develop is directed toward adults, I also enjoy sharing information with children of all ages. Nothing pleases me more than sharing nutrition information with a young person and then meeting up with them again and have them say, "Hey, I remember you; you told us to eat more vegetables, or less pop, or whole grains..." Encouraging people of all ages to make healthy food choices is becoming a huge part of my job and I love it!

What gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, but is cited as the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers? If you guessed radon you are absolutely right. A grant program has provided me with a supply of radon test kits that I am selling for $1, making this the perfect time to test your home.

School bells will be ringing in a few days and that means pre-schoolers through college aged kids will be adapting to their new schedules. What about the rest of you; those of you reading this column who may not be formally enrolled in a school but who consider yourself a life-long learner? I love adult learners. That is probably what has kept me excited and energized to continue in my Extension career. No matter what your age there are opportunities everywhere to learn something new and apply it in your daily life.